ADRIAN — A hearing on evidence implicating a Jackson County man in the murder of a Woodstock Township woman was put off to January after a defense attorney asked Monday for more time to prepare.

Steven Daniel Storm, 42, was returned to the Lenawee County Jail without bond to await a Jan. 11 preliminary examination. He faces an open murder charge in the Nov. 16 killing of Sandra Johnson, 63. Her body was found Nov. 17 at a boat launch at Crispell Lake in Jackson County's Liberty Township. Her hands were bound.

A death certificate stated Johnson died of asphyxia in a homicide. Authorities continue to say little about what they believe led up to the killing.

Public defender John Glaser asked for a delay Monday in an appearance before Lenawee County District Judge James E. Sheridan.

Glaser said he received some reports last week from the Lenawee County Sheriff's Department, but not enough to get a complete picture of the investigation.

Storm waived his right to have a preliminary examination within 14 days of his Nov. 23 arraignment.

The prosecution is prepared to go ahead with an examination this week, said Scott Baker, chief assistant Lenawee County prosecutor.

Sheridan granted the defense request to reschedule the hearing for Jan. 11, but said he does not expect any further delays.

"We'll do something that day to move this thing along," Sheridan said. He said he expects the preliminary examination to be conducted that day or the hearing waived and Storm bound over to circuit court for trial.

Family members of Storm and Johnson quickly left the courtroom in separate groups after the adjournment was announced.

Baker said there is still an active police investigation of the murder, leaving him unable to comment on what is believed to have happened and why.

"We're doing a thorough investigation on the background of the defendant as well as on the victim," Baker said.

Storm and Johnson did know each other, Baker said, and there is a financial connection that appears to be related to the murder. The relationship was not romantic, Baker said, but declined to describe their connection.

Glaser said he expects many of the questions about the prosecution's theory of what happened will become clear when a preliminary examination takes place.

He said Storm seems to be an unlikely subject to commit a violent crime of this type. Storm lived quietly with his wife and children in the village of Vandercook Lake, he said, and has no criminal history at all.